Brumbies veteran Stirling Mortlock insists he is yet to make a decision on his immediate playing future but admits joining the Melbourne Rebels is an extremely attractive option.
The 32-year-old, whose current deal with Australian Rugby Union and the Brumbies expires at the end of 2010, has been strongly linked with the fledgling Rebels franchise and has also held talks with cashed-up Japanese clubs.
Mortlock was stripped of the Wallabies captaincy ahead of the recent Grand Slam tour and replaced by Rocky Elsom, fuelling speculation he was set to turn his back on next year's World Cup campaign and head overseas.
But the 80-Test veteran admits the chance to be a part of Rod Macqueen's Rebels could be too good an offer to refuse.
"Basically it's the first time in my career where I've generally sat down and thought long and hard about going overseas or staying (in Australia), and I'm really not too sure what I want to do," Mortlock, whose manager met with ARU officials on Monday, said.
"But at this stage Melbourne seems like a fantastic opportunity and one that I never really thought that I'd be looking into."
The rugby community has been split over the ARU's decision to allow the Rebels to announce player signings midway through the current Super rugby campaign.
But Mortlock, who expects to make a decision by the end of the month, says the uncertainty over his future is not a distraction.
"There's always periods of time as a professional rugby player where you are negotiating and involved in talks both here and abroad, and that's just the way it is," he said.
"I'm sure a lot of other players are in that position where they're assessing the situation and looking at the future."
"It doesn't change what you focus on day in day out and for us that's Auckland (against the Blues) on Friday."
However, the Brumbies stalwart remains in doubt for the Eden Park clash with a neck injury suffered in the first half of his side's narrow win over the Sharks last weekend.
"The fact that it is a short turnaround makes it a little bit tougher but we'll be doing everything we can to make sure I get as good treatment as possible and give myself the best chance to play," he said.
"I pretty much just bruised my (shoulder) and my neck's quite sore, but there's no actual structural damage which is really positive."
"We've got training on Wednesday and depending on how treatment goes and how well it responds will determine whether I'm right to train and right to play."
Coach Andy Friend says there is a 'genuine chance' Tyrone Smith will start at outside centre ahead of Mortlock on Friday night.
"There's no need pushing a bloke like Stirling if he's not right," Friend said.
"What we know when you play Stirling Mortlock, if he's on his game and he's got energy then the whole team feed off that, but if he hasn't got the energy or he hasn't been able to train during the week because of an injury he doesn't have that same vibe."
"He needs to be on top of his game and fully fit and we'll assess him on Wednesday and make a call from there."